Roosevelt's Tree Army: The CCC

Roosevelt's Tree Army: The CCC. . In this vast, nearly treeless landscape, it may sound strange to call the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Roosevelt's Tree Army, but it has meaning here. President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the CCC in 1933 as part of his New Deal program for unemployed, unmarried men, ages 17-25, between 1933-42. It gave not only jobs to young men, but taught them skills and built teamwork. Their labor was related to the conservation and development of natural resources in lands managed by federal, state, and local governments. The work was not easy, but CCC projects can be seen – as fine and sturdy as they were first built – all over the United States, particularly in national and state parks as well as national forests. The boys of the CCC planted millions of trees, including cottonwoods along the Puerco River in February 1935. , The CCC workers lived in several camps over the years at Petrified Forest. The first camp (ECW Camp NM-1-A) was established along the Puerco River on July 3, 1934, across the road from Puerco Pueblo. Looking south, you will see a two-track road that once led to the final camp as pictured to the right. In the 1930s, there were barracks, mess hall, kitchen, foreman's quarters, and storage. Nothing is left at that site, the buildings torn down in the 1950s. , From diaries and letters, these young men worked hard, but built friendships and memories to last a lifetime. What were you doing when you first left home? , CCC Projects at Petrified Forest: , . Parts of the park roads , . Development of water sites , . Telephone lines , . Trails, particularly at Blue Mesa and Rainbow Forest , . Wildlife reservoirs , . Boundary fencing , . Masonry buildings: administration and housing , . Rehabilitation of the Painted Desert Inn , . Painted Puerco River bridge , . Clerical, interpretive, and resource assistance , There are also a lot of artifacts and other clues left by the workers of the CCC. Please remember to leave them for others to enjoy in the future. , [Captions] , Top right: Third and final CCC Camp, south of Puerco Pueblo, 1939 (PEFO 24404) , Center row, left to right: , . Planting trees and building flood control features along the Puerco River (PEFO 21027} , . A casual pose, perhaps for a letter home. (PEFO 24209) , . Painting beneath the Rio Puerco (Puerco River) Bridge . CCC pocket knife (PEFO museum collection) , . CCC enameled cooking pot , Bottom: First CCC Camp, west of Puerco Pueblo, 1934 (PEFO 34822)